Campbell Soup and the American Heart Association accused of false advertising

A new lawsuit questions the advertised health merits of that can of cream of potato you've had in your cabinet for years and somehow never eaten or thrown out.

Campbell Soup Co. is in hot water for claiming its soups are “heart-healthy,” and the American Heart Association (AHA) is accused of being guilty by, well, association.

Many of Campbell's soups have a “Heart-Check” label on the packaging, which signifies that the AHA has certified the food to be “heart-healthy.” But Kerry O'Shea claims that the soups are marketed as being healthier than they actually are. O'Shea says that the soup's sodium levels are higher than those allowed under AHA standards.

"Our Food Certification Program regularly conducts laboratory testing to verify that products earning the Heart Check meet our nutritional criteria,” the AHA said in a statement.

O'Shea is seeking class action status for the lawsuit, including anyone in the U.S. who has purchased a Campbell's “Healthy Request” soup with an AHA endorsement.